Statement of Educational Philosophy

I believe that to be an outstanding teacher, an educator must first have strength in classroom
management skills. Management creates building blocks for a positive learning environment. It
is my personal goal as an educator to treat students as individual learners with a variety of
needs. I believe that students are lifelong learners who deserve to explore their ideas and
inquisitions. Each student learns in his/her own way with his/her own strengths and differences.
Outstanding teachers should build relationships with parents and the community to increase use
of community resources, as well as to relate to his/her classroom. In addition to these qualities, I
believe that involved educators should make a lasting effort to work with other faculty members
in professional learning communities to ensure that students are provided with the best
opportunities for growth.

Family and community involvement are key components of a successful academic environment.
It is my duty as an educator to keep students connected to the community around them by
participating in service projects, volunteer opportunities, and by using open communication. It is
extremely important to keep parents and guardians updated on activities in the classroom while
providing them with the opportunity to actively participate in student learning. A few examples of
this are: a collaborative project that is worked on both at school and at home, career days, and
volunteering during class time.

A pillar of my educational philosophy is collaboration with other educators. Working in

professional learning communities gives me the opportunity to share ideas and build upon them,
as well as learn from others ideas. We can only grow if we open our minds to positive change.
When I work with other educators in the community I am able to learn from their experiences
using strong, positive communication skills. Expanded ideas result in extended lessons, which
in turn truly benefit students.

Student achievement data plays an important role in lesson planning and assessment
implementation in my classroom. For example, student achievement data on a formative
assessment will help me plan lessons in that subject for the next day or next week. High profile
achievement data such as DIBELS scores are useful in determining which students may need
intervention, are on grade level, and/or need to be challenged. I can use this data to create
effective instructional groups and differentiate strategies for individual students. Most
importantly, student achievement data is a focus on student growth. By looking at achievement
data I can personally assess student growth and reflect on my own teaching. It helps me to
assess what strategies are effective for individual students and how I can change my instruction
for the students struggling in certain areas.

Teaching provides me with the opportunity to instill students with a zeal for knowledge and
discovery. I am passionate about education and am committed to giving my students a well-
rounded, diverse elementary school experience.